Native American Peoples and Clues to the Past

Native American Peoples and Clues to the Past. . , Ancient people lived in Minnesota as early as 12,000 years ago. These first inhabitants of the land left behind lasting clues about their cultures. They moved seasonally between camps while hunting and gathering. Often they chose camps near major waterways, such as the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers, to take advantage of the fresh water fish, game animals, wild plants, and transportation resources the waterways provided., Archaeologists have excavated some of the Native American village and camp sites in the area. Tools, arrow points, pieces of pottery, animal bones and plant remains have been found. These artifacts give us a better understanding of how the Native Americans lived., One group of Native Americans known for their impressive burial mounds lived in this region. Some of these mounds survive, while others have been disturbed or destroyed by plowing, looting, road building, and other development activities. Today, existing mounds are protected from all disturbance by state law.